CHL Players Union
 

This will end well :(

The union, not the thread.

^ so the CHL players form a union and they decide to let the public know by a news release from a website based in Texas and nothing on TSN, Yahoo or Sportsnet in Canada?

It actually reads like a union was formed by third part lawyers, with the hope to attract CHL players. If it was legitimate, players would be quoted in the piece.

And after consulting the website of the 'consulting firm', I think my initial read was correct
http://srsconsulting.webs.com/

I respect that starting businesses can be hard, but the 'Build a free website at Webs.com, followed by the 'God bless this mess' photo above it, plus the 'gmail' address, may question the professionalism/legitimacy of that business.

This may be the lowest point I've seen with third party businesses trying to make money off of CHL players. I highly, highly doubt the legitimacy. The CHL is filled with high power agents, if they wanted a union, theyd work with the NHLPA.

Why would Ian Pulver send his clients to someone who no one has heard of, while he has access to the top minds of the NHLPA? The guy use to run the NHLPA lol.

Most times when unions start up its because the workers want it if this union was started because a few agents wanted it and thats well i think it could be going down a slippery slope.

Most members of the CHL have agents who are certified to be NHLPA agents. If those agents wanted a union, they would have simply expanded the NHLPA.

While i don't think a union is needed in this type of league if they want one go with the NHLPA.

A bit more...

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.c...on-spokeswoman

so, we're looking for a lock-out or a strike in the CHL in the next 5 years?

If the numbers are true in terms of what the union would get i think a lock-out will be least of our worries our big concern as fans is the small markets they might not be able to make it under this plan.

You really think the players would bargain themselves out of 27 roster spots?

If the rumors are true and maybe there way off but if there true it could hurt the small market teams and are players going to look at all the parts of this or are they just going to vote i hope they take time.

So far, no legitimate player, agent, parent, or team representative has any first hand knowledge of this "CHLPA". Their website is a joke, the logo looks like something I could do in MSPaint (and I suck at MSPaint), and there are a slew of factual errors in their statement on their newly formed facebook page.

If this is the scam I expect it is, someone is spending a great deal of time and effort to pull it off.

The only sliver of legitimacy is the appointment of Georges Laraque as Executive Director. Oh, except that they spelled his name wrong in the "press release", and he was scheduled to do an interview on Fan590 today and was a no-show.

Makes sense.

What would be the point of running such a scam? What would the perpetrator hope to gain?

A couple of thoughts come to mind:

a) If this thing actually has someone real behind it, they're looking to get their hands on part of the money that flows through the CHL, or

b) The same reason people develop and spread computer viruses (aka - I have no idea).

It's starting to sound to me like it started as a lark but has gotten way more attention than the people who started it expected. I wonder if there is any legal issue with contacting minors without anyone's permission to do so.

I dunno what the legal deal is with contacting minors but I do find it questionable that there are so many people hanging around arenas in Canada calling themselves "agents" trying to sign 14 year olds. The whole thing seems kind of slimy and exploitive to me, I hope this isn't another step in that direction.

Theres lot about it on rds website

http://www.rds.ca/lhjmq/chroniques/346646.html

George laraque is involved player agent gilels lupien is also involded

Heard about it on the radio today they said that the players are treated very well when it comes to school, boarding,food, travel accomodations.... but that 35$ a week for a full time job was just ridicolous, they got calls from players who were not pleased at all cause with 35$ a week they couldnt afford clothes or haircuts, couldnt afford to take their gf out for a movie and some mcdonalds while league presidents are making 300 000$ a year, hockey canada is making millions from the world championship.....

Yea 35 a week is pretty ridiculous. Good luck to the players. :cheers:

Is that what the Q players get? OHL rookies get $50 per week (I know it goes up but I'm not sure when, and OA's get $350 I believe).

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle4491759/

It appears Laraque is the executive director of this union.

from what i hear the two issue the union looks to address is the player stipend and education packages

with the stipends, gordie howe was making the 50 dollars a week when he played in junior. this should be increased especially since hockey has become a full time job for these kids. 150 a week or somewhere in and a round there would be a start IMO

the problem with the education is that players only have 18 months once they complete junior to use that package or its lost forever. this IMO should be extended for those who want to try and make it pro, but eventually cant make it and want to go to school

How much longer than 18 months is the right time frame? If a player isn't earning enough to live on after a year and a half after he graduates from the CHL, he should be seriously considering a change in career. It simply can't be an open ended option - teams are required to set aside money to finance education costs now, and extending the period indefinitely could result in financial difficulty for some franchises.

Why doesn't the CHL run like any professional league? Other professional leagues have come up with solutions to all of those problems. The main difference between the CHL and other professional sports leagues is that players in those other leagues have negotiating power. I say, more power to the players.

How do you think they should run it?